Waldemar Krzystek / Poland / 2011 / 102 min
The Russian government’s decision to jail outspoken punk group Pussy Riot, harks back to a time in the Eastern Bloc where the wrong views could see you killed. Waldemar Krzystek’s 80 Million tells the story of the Polish worker’s trade union Solidarity and their efforts for a fairer political system. 1980s Poland is under the grip of a Soviet controlled communist government when the anti-government Solidarity party legally withdraw 80 million złoty from the bank. Scared at how they could use this against them, the tyrannical communist regime will stop at nothing to track down all involved.
From the ashen-faced public to the squat, unattractive architecture and automotives aided by an impenetrable cloak of winter, the film’s aesthetic mirrors the downtrodden population. With the prospect of moles and double agents, Krzytek and Krzysztof Konopka’s narrative brings a heart-racing intense paranoia to the action. As the Solidarity members struggle with their limited means to get the truth of their oppression heard while the militia government deceitfully manipulate the media and wantonly use cruelty to achieve their own goals, Krzystek raises important points about freedom of speech and the benefits of democracy. This tale of authoritarian officials and repressed peoples is by no means unique but there’s a raw passion in Solidarity’s non-violent and earnest ingenuity that makes this compelling viewing.
Showing as part of the Glasgow film Festival 2013
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